Improvement in salt-cellars



W. SELLERS.

Salt-Cellar.

Patented Feb. 18,1879.

1 u u G a Farm, PHOTO mm: WAWLNG UNITED 'STATES PATENT QFFICE'L WILLIAMSELLERS, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

- IMPROVEMENT IN SALT-CELLARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,518, dated February18, 1879 application filed November 18, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SnLLnRs, of Haverhill, in the county ofEssex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Table-Salt Bottles, of which the following is aspecification:

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and eii'ective meansfor separating the particles of salt in a salt bottle or box, and alsofor insuring a free discharge of the salt through the perforated cap ortop of the bott e.

The invention consists in the employment of a frame composed of twoupright side bars extending from the bottom to the top of a bottle orbox in which the salt or other substance is to be placed, and surmountedby a series of points or prongs so arranged that when the said frame isrotated the ends of the prongs will pass over the holes in the cover ortop of the bottle, when it is upside down, in such a manner as to clearthe holes of the overlying salt, and thus permit the loosened particlesof salt to drop out, as they will do, without the necessity of shakingthe bottle. The spindle of the frame passes through ahole in the bottomof the bottle, so as to admit of the frame being rotated, and issupported at the top by a socketed projection on the under side of thecover of the bottle.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of abottle containing my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of thesame. Fig. 3 represents the device for loosening the particles of saltand clearing the holes in the top or cover of the bottle.

A represents a bottle for containing the salt or other substance to bedischarged from the same. This bottle or receptacle may be of anydesired size, shape, or material.

B is a perforated cap or cover, securely fitted to the top ofthereceptacleA. Within t-hereceptacle A is placed an agitator or frameconsisting of two upright bars or rods, to I), connected near theirupper ends by a cross-bar, e, at right angles with which is anothercrossbar, f. From the intersection of the bars 0 and f projects upward apin, 3, constituting a spindle for the frame or agitator a Z), and isfitted to turn freely in a socket formedin a projection, 0, extendingdownward from the under side of the center of the shown.

Extending upward from the ends of the cross-bars e and f are theprojections or prongs 1 2 4t 5, acting as clearers, and arranged atdifferent distances from the center, as shown in Fig. 3, the upper endsof the said prongs coming in contact, or nearly so, with the undersurface of the perforated cover 13, so that as the frame a b, with theprongs, is rotated, the ends of the prongs will pass over the severalseries of holes in the cover and remove or clear from the same theoverlying salt or other substance in the receptacle. It is to beunderstood that the receptacle A is to be held bottom upward when theprongs are rotated, and the result will be that the loosened salt willdrop out of the holes as soon as the ends of the prongs have passed overthe same without shaking the bottle.

The lower portion of the frame a b is supported on the bottom of thebottle A, and from its center projects downward through a hole in thebottom of the bottle a stem or spindle, D, which fits in the said holesnugly, but so as to turn freely, end with a device by which frame andprongs can be readily turned or rotated. This device consistsofprojections d d, of which there may be two or more, attached to thebase of the spindle D, and arranged within the concave space in the baseof the bottle, as shown in Fig. 2.

The surface of the perforated cap B is preferably made flat; but it maybe of convex form if desired, the prongs being correspondingly adaptedin length.

The frame a b and the prongs may be made of metal or any other materialof suflicient rigidity to answer the purpose for which they areintended. The bars a b, when rotated, serve to loosen the particles ofsalt and prepare it for ejection from the receptacle A.

When in use the receptacle Ais turned upside down, and if the salt failsto drop out freely by shaking, the frame may be readily turned by simplyapplying the finger to the points (I while the receptacle A is held inthe hand, thus requiring only one hand to manipulate it. As the prongspass the holes the salt will drop out freely without shaking the bottle.

perforated cover B, as

and is provided at its lower What I claim as my invention is t 1. Thecombination, with the perforated cover B, of a series of prongs orclearers attached to a spindle having its bearing in a socketedprojection on the under side of the cover, all constructed and arrangedto operate substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A series of prongs or clearers arranged to operate with a perforatedcover, as described, in combination with a frame or agitator having aspindle passing through the bottom of the receptacle, and provided witha device for actuating the frame, as set forth.

3. The frame or agitator a b, provided with the spindle 3, fitted in thesocketed projection 0 on the under side of the perforated cover 13, andthe spindle D, passing through the bottom of the receptacle A, as andfor the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM SELLERS.

Witnesses:

J. H. ADAMS, T. F. LALLY.

